The Madhya Pradesh cabinet Tuesday decided to recommend to the Centre that vedic mathematics and moral education, based on the teachings of ‘Bhagavad Gita’, be included in the syllabus of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools.

“The state cabinet, at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has decided to recommend to the Centre to teach vedic maths and impart moral education based on (the holy scripture) ‘Bhagavad Gita’ to the students of CBSE-run schools by incorporating it in the NCERT books,” state Public Relations Minister and Cabinet Spokesperson Narottam Mishra told reporters.

The government also decided to request to the Centre to give its approval for inclusion of lessons on ancient scientists and alternate methods in different streams by including them in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks.

The cabinet also took a decision to introduce the NCERT books in state-run schools in two phases.

“The government decided to introduce NCERT syllabus in the state-run schools in the stream of science, maths and commerce in two-phases — initially from Class I to VII, IX and XI standards in 2017-18, and Classes VIII, X and XII in the 2018-19 academic year,” Mishra said.

Presently, textbooks prepared by Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation (MPTC) are taught in the schools run by Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE).

A presentation was made at the meeting on the newly-constituted Ministry of Happiness.

The chief minister directed to ensure “the maximum participation” of people in the programmes organised by the ministry and said these programmes should not be confined within the government alone, Mishra said.

He also informed that the government has decided to organise ‘Anand Utsav’ from January 14 to 21 at the village panchayat level at 10,000 locations across the state.

“Each panchayat will get Rs 15,000 for organising events under the programme,” he added.